On Thursday, ESPN fired former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III despite the fact that he had two years remaining on his contract.
The move shocked the sports world, as Griffin had become a prominent talking head at the network — breaking down all things NFL, college football, NBA, and other sports.
Why was Griffin fired by the Worldwide Leader? Was anyone else let go? Let’s break down the latest report about the situation.
ESPN Fires Robert Griffin III and Sam Ponder
Griffin wasn’t the only NFL personality who was fired on Thursday, as “Sunday NFL Countdown” host Samantha Ponder was also terminated by the network, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Mike Greenberg is the favorite to take over hosting duties on “Sunday NFL Countdown,” but Laura Rutledge is also a candidate for the gig.
Why were they let go?
“The decisions were made for financial reasons as ESPN nears the conclusion of its fiscal year at the end of September,” Marchand reported. “Both Ponder and Griffin made more than seven figures.”
Last June, ESPN laid off roughly 20 personalities, including Steve Young, Jalen Rose, Jeff Van Gundy, and Suzy Kolber. However, this situation is a bit different, as these are “the only moves ESPN is making at the moment,” according to Marchand.
Griffin joked about the news, posting the following video on X (formerly Twitter).
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 15, 2024
Later, he tweeted a more serious response to the situation.
“Thankful for so many people in my time at ESPN that helped me grow because they are some of the best in the business,” Griffin posted. “From the broadcast booth to the studio and ESPECIALLY the people many of you never see behind the camera. They are the REAL MVPs and sacrifice so much time with their families just to ensure people like myself in front of the camera even have the opportunity to shine.
“There were so many awesome experiences and moments that my family and I will never forget from the last 3 years. What people sometimes fail to realize is none of this is possible without you guys, the FANS. So THANK YOU to everyone who has supported my family through my playing days and broadcast career so far. We love you guys and will continue to seek and defend the truth while telling athletes’ stories the right way.”
Thankful for so many people in my time at ESPN that helped me grow because they are some of the best in the business.
From the broadcast booth to the studio and ESPECIALLY the people many of you never see behind the camera.
They are the REAL MVPs and sacrifice so much time… pic.twitter.com/vgoBhQkoe9
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 16, 2024
The decision to fire Griffin is shocking, as he was a prominent analyst for the network with a large social-media following (2.2 million followers on X alone), a ton of visibility, and two years remaining on his contract.
Also, as Marchand notes, “as recently as last year [Griffin] had been viewed as a rising star at ESPN,” so it’s surprising how much his stock has seemingly dipped over the last 12 months.
Over the last year, RGIII has been all over ESPN’s airwaves, appearing on “Monday Night Countdown,” college football game broadcasts, “SportsCenter,” and other shows.
Perhaps the first sign of trouble was when ESPN decided to remove him from “Monday Night Countdown,” replacing him with retired NFL center Jason Kelce.
What’s next for the former quarterback?
Marchand notes that he could join Fox Sports, as they have shown interest in Griffin over the years. It’s also possible that he could start his own show, given the platform and built-in audience his large social-media following provides.
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After starring at Baylor and winning the Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, and AP College Football Player of the Year award, Griffin was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He had NFL stints with Washington, Cleveland, and Baltimore.
Over the course of his seven-year NFL career, Griffin appeared in 56 games, throwing for 9,271 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions while rushing for 1,809 yards and 10 touchdowns. Unfortunately, injuries caused his playing days to end prematurely, prompting his transition to broadcasting.
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